Washington (AFP) – Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni hit an optimistic note about a possible US-EU tariffs deal Thursday as the far-right Italian prime minister mounted a charm offensive at the White House. Casting herself as the only European who can de-escalate Trump’s trade war, Meloni highlighted their conservative common ground and said she wanted to “make the West great again.”
“There will be a trade deal, 100 percent,” Trump said during her visit. Meloni said she was “sure” they could reach a deal. The two leaders struck a warm tone during a working lunch and a meeting in the Oval Office, with Trump hailing the 48-year-old Italian premier as “fantastic.” Meloni is the first leader from Europe to visit the Republican since he slapped 20 percent tariffs on EU exports, which he has since suspended for 90 days.
The Italian leader said Trump had accepted an invitation to visit Rome in the “near future” and that he might also meet European leaders there. “Even if we have some problems between the two shores of the Atlantic, it is the time that we try to sit down and find solutions,” she said. Meloni highlighted their shared views on immigration and “woke” ideology and added: “The goal for me is to make the West great again, and I think we can do it together.”
– ‘Get smart’ –
But while Trump expressed confidence about an eventual deal with the 27-nation bloc he accuses of trying to “screw” the United States, he said he was in “no rush.” “Everybody wants to make a deal — and if they don’t want to make a deal, we’ll make the deal for them,” Trump added.
Trump also returned to his administration’s familiar criticisms of Europe, saying it needed to “get smart” on immigration and boost defense spending on NATO. The US leader said separately that superpower rival China had “reached out” about a possible deal to end the bitter trade war between the world’s biggest economies. Trump has slapped eye-watering 145 percent tariffs on Chinese goods after it retaliated to his worldwide “Liberation Day” tariffs announcement on April 2. “I think we’re going to make a very good deal with China,” he added.
Russia’s war in Ukraine meanwhile remained a touchy subject between the US and Italian leaders. Meloni has been a staunch ally of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky since Russia’s invasion of the country in 2022, most recently calling Moscow’s Palm Sunday attack on the city of Sumy “horrible and vile.” Trump however has stunned allies with a pivot toward Moscow and repeated attacks on Zelensky, whom he berated in an Oval Office meeting in February. The US leader said with Meloni beside him that “I don’t hold Zelensky responsible but I’m not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started,” adding that he was “not a big fan” of the Ukrainian.
– Uncertainty –
Meloni had earlier acknowledged the uncertainty weighing on her trip as Europe reels from repeated blows from a country that has been the continent’s defender for decades. “I am aware of what I represent and I am aware of what I am defending,” Meloni said Tuesday.
Italian newspapers reported that one of the goals of Meloni’s visit was to pave the way for a meeting between Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. Meloni’s decision to personally intercede with Trump has caused some disquiet among EU allies, who are concerned that her visit could undermine bloc unity. “If we start having bilateral discussions, obviously it will break the current dynamic,” France’s Industry Minister Marc Ferracci warned last week.
A European Commission spokeswoman said that while the EU alone could negotiate trade agreements, Meloni’s “outreach is very welcome” and was coordinated with Brussels. Following Thursday’s meeting with Trump, Meloni will fly back to Rome on Friday in time to host US Vice President JD Vance, with whom she has a meeting planned. Trump’s threatened tariffs could have a major impact on Italy, the world’s fourth-largest exporter, which sends around 10 percent of its exports to the United States.
© 2024 AFP
